Don't look at me.

Linka gets lost studying her long lost friend's face. She's so… Girl Jordan still. So little has changed about her, not even her hair.

And yet… things are very different.

A drawn out moment passes before Linka even responds to Jordan's quip about ugliness. Yeah, that didn't change either.

"I can't believe it…" the white haired girl mutters with a look of disbelief.

Jordan's smile gives way to a guilty expression, and she quickly returns her focus to the windshield.

"Sorry. It was just a joke," she apologizes. "You actually look really nice. It's no wonder those girls were all over you," she adds, immediately regretting it. "...I'll shut up now."

Linka chuckles. "No, it's not that," she insists. "Thanks for the compliment though, you sissy," she razzes as she too faces forward.

The little smile on her face has developed into an idiotic grin. She hasn't felt so warm and so fuzzy since coming to Great Lakes City, and it's all because- for the first time in four stinkin' years, she has her best friend back.

She happens to rest eyes on Bun Bun in her lap, who she imagines somehow heard her own inner thoughts.

"Not you, silly," she mentally tells her other best friend.

With the initial excitement of reuniting out of the way, it was time for the fun part. Awkward talking! Nothing as fun as beating one's way around bushes, stretching truths, jumping to conclusions, and dropping the ball. Yup. Linka would be getting a full workout this evening.

"So…" she begins. Great job, Linka. Ten out of ten. Just fall over and die now. Jordan will understand.

The other girl faintly laughs as she drives. "So hey; it's been a little while," she quips. She makes sure to pay attention to the road, but she offers Linka glances when she can. What a perv.

"It has. Four years, actually," Linka responds as she nervously eyes the floor board and preens a stray hair behind her ear.

"I'm sorry I haven't checked in much," Jordan belatedly tells her. "Life just got busy and I'm a terrible person," she only somewhat jokingly explains. "I did think about you though. A whole heck of a bunch."

"Psh, after what you just did, you're forgiven for the past four hundred years," Linka jokes. It leaves a bit of foul taste in her mouth though. Maybe she should have said something a little more sincere?

Jordan plays along though, albeit with some discomfort in her tone of voice.

"Even for being a flapper in my past life?" she rebuts.

Linka just smiles. She could say something to tease her back, and she really wants to. Just like old times.

But she also just wants to enjoy this. Four years is a long time, Leon learned to walk, talk, and stop pooping in diapers since then.

"How have you been?" she sincerely asks now, which makes her heart start pounding in her chest.

Jordan takes a second to collect her thoughts. "Uh… I've been good. Just been working and going to school," she answers. "...What about you?" she almost timidly adds.

Linka isn't so apprehensive to respond, despite the fluttering of the wings going on with all these butterflies.

"Oh yeah, you're going to GLA too, right?" she answers with a question.

"Yup. Full scholarship," Jordan says. She slouches over a little as her face grows crestfallen. "So I guess this weird conversation had to happen sooner or later, huh?"

Linka's excitement wanes from her lips again. "Yeah, I guess so."

And for a moment, nothing is said between the two.

Until Linka thinks of a perfect smooth recovery. "Yeah! This will save this talk! I hope..."

"That kick, though," she comments regarding Jordan's jiu jitsu on that Mullet lookin' fool. "That was so sick!"

"Wasn't it? I have secret powers. Radioactive spider and all," Jordan jokes with a little smile. "For real though. I've seen those jerks around. Hannah and Hawk I think their names are."

"Hannah and-?" Linka responds before Jordan cuts her off.

"Yeah, stupid names, I know. But I knew you wouldn't be able to sleep at night if I didn't tell you," she explains.

After another moment to collect herself, she adds, "Sorry we couldn't save your groceries, though."

Linka looks all around, and sure enough, her rations for the week were forgotten at the bus stop.

"Dang it! I spent my whole allowance on all of that!" she cusses. She realizes she just said allowance out loud though, and quickly tries to remedy it in spite of the incriminating wince on her face. "I mean…"

Jordan laughs. "Hey, it's cool you still have mommy and daddy giving you an allowance," she teases. "I didn't even tell my parents I'm working so they'd keep shelling me out some dough."

Linka smiles. "You're such a piece of crap," she tells her in the most endearing way imaginable. "I thought about you too."

Jordan looks to her with a smile of her own, and for a little while, their eyes just connect. Yeah, Linka still feels anxious inside, but in typical Girl Jordan fashion, things are just easy with her.

GJ breaks away to focus on her driving again. "So, uh, are you in any hurry to get back to the dormitory?" she asks.

"Uh… I guess not," Linka cautiously answers. "I mean, we do have a curfew…"

"Relax, Rita. I'm not looking to take you night clubbing. Unless that's your thing?" she jokingly tells her friend. "No, the reason I was even out actually was to go get something for dinner. There was no way my fat self was going grocery shopping on a Monday night. What kind of idiot does that?" she quips.

"The idiot who gets mugged, apparently," Linka somberly admits, guiltily looking down to the stuffed bunny in her lap.

Jordan just looks at her for a moment with a serene smile resting on her face. "Hey. It could have happened to anybody," she encouragingly tells Linka. "I'm glad to see you're still hanging out with Bun Bun, by the way. You guys always were my OTP."

"You are such a nerd," Linka says as she amusingly rolls her eyes.

Jordan pulls her car along the sidewalk of a quaint little diner. Linka doesn't ask questions, she just silently stays in her thoughts as she follows Jordan's lead. She steps out the car, and makes sure her purse and Bun Bun will be safe under the seats.

"They'll be fine. I'm locking up," Jordan assures her as she presses the key on her fob to do just that.

Linka sighs with relief, and offers her friend a soft smile. Jordan reciprocates the gesture, and then makes her way for the door of the diner. Heaven's Night, the sign on the door reads.

Jordan opens the door, and holds it open for her confidante with a warm inviting beam on her face.

"Well look at you… I guess you learned some manners in the last four years," Linka teases.

"I also learned how to throw those wicked spin kicks, remember?" Jordan reminds Linka with a sly sneer as she passes through the door.

Jordan closes it behind her, and the two girls make their way through the crowd to find an available booth. Just outside, the rain begins to drizzle, incidentally complementing the tame tune playing over the diner's PA system.

*My tea's gone cold, I'm wondering why... I got out of bed at all.*
*The morning rain clouds up my window, and I can't see at all.*
*And even if I could it'd all be grey, but your picture on my wall.*
*It reminds me that it's not so bad, it's not so bad…*

In the time that they are seated and the cute redheaded girl with a name tag reading Jane takes their orders; Linka reflects on just how surreal all of this is.

"This has to be a dream. Just this morning I was thinking about how much I missed having Jordan in my life, and here she is, right back in it. Like nothing ever changed."

Jordan smiles at her as she rubs her arms to warm herself up a little. "Brrrrr! It's cold in here!" she complains.

"It is a little chilly," Linka agrees, although it's a lie on her part. The truth is, she's actually burning up in her jacket.

"I don't suppose it would be too weird if I offered her my jacket. I mean… There was a time in our lives where we didn't just call each other nubs and skunkbags, and it has been a long time. She's grown up and matured like me. Probably."

The white haired girl takes a deep breath, then takes the initiative.

"Uhm, here Jordan. You can wear my jacket," she offers as she begins taking it off.

"What? No. You're fine," Jordan insists. "I'll live, heh heh."

"I am fine, thanks for pointing that out," Linka cleverly retorts. "Just take the dang thing. It's the least I can do after you saved my skin back there with those two hillbillies."

She has the jacket off and in her hand, revealing her pale bare arms. She holds it out for Jordan to take, and the brunette leaves her hanging for a moment before putting aside her stubbornness and accepting the stupid thing.

"I swear you better not have lice or something," she jokes as she takes it.

"Shut up," Linka simply rebuts, rolling her eyes.

For a moment, things are quiet as Jordan puts the red Ace Savvy jacket on, making sure to fix her braid behind it properly as she situates the thing on her person with a firm tug.

"Hmm, shocker. I look hotter than you did in it," she jokes.

Linka scoffs, but then just folds her arms. Maybe Jordan won't be able to notice how hard her heart is pounding right now if she does… even though she won't be able to anyway… But still… It feels like it…

She tries to think of something smart to say back to the other girl's riposte, but she draws blanks. It's really hard to when she hasn't seen this girl she cared so much about for so long. Everything feels like it will just come out wrong.

She decides, maybe she doesn't need to one up her for once. Maybe it would just be better to be a good loser instead of a sore winner.

"You're right. You're a knockout," Linka says.

Aaaaaaand she regrets it. It just felt so idiotic coming out. "Why did I say that? Stupid!" she cusses to herself.

Jordan smiles though, and her cheeks even turns just the faintest hue of pink.

"Well, aren't you a sweetie," she says, almost in a way that sounds full of disbelief. "Uh, just so you know though, you're paying for dinner."

Oh look, smart aleck Jordan is back.

"Uhh, no I'm not!" Linka blunty states. "I already told you I spent my charity case money on those groceries you failed to save, loser."

Jordan guffaws. "Hey! I tried my best! If it weren't for me you'd be lesbian chow right now," she jokes, inciting an actual laugh from Linka. It was too funny for her not to break.

"Okay, you're right. God bless you, Girl Jordan."

"Yup. I'm an underrated hero," Jordan brashly says as she leans back. A wistful air comes to her though. "Girl Jordan… No one's called me that in a long time."

Linka's smile wanes slightly as she rests her arms on the table now. "Well… Insert coffee shop meme here," she quips.

Jordan amusingly huffs as she just eyes a fascinating spot on the table before looking to Linka's freckled face once more.

"So, it has been a while," she begins. "Tell me. What brings you to Great Lakes City?"

"GLA, of course," Linka answers. It doesn't matter what she says or how she says it though. She feels like an ass the moment the words leave her mouth.

And yet, Jordan never gets upset. She just always seems happy to even be here, which is never a bad thing.

"Great Lakes Academy, of course…" Jordan starts. "But why? What made you wanna leave home?"

"I didn't want to leave," Linka insists before letting out a listless sigh. "It's just, GLA has an awesome photography program."

"Best in the state," Jordan agrees.

"Right," Linka simply says.

Jordan takes some time to think it over as she glides her finger around the rim of her drinking mug. "So… How are your brothers? Leon's what, four now?"

"Five, actually," Linka answers.

"Dang," Jordan almost regretfully cusses.

"It's fine," Linka assures her before she can beat herself up too hard. "I mean, with ten brothers-"

"I swear, if you say what I think you're going to say-" Jordan interrupts.

Linka grins. "Wouldn't trade it for the world."

Jordan dramatically slouches in her seat as far back as she can, and lets out a hardy groan. "Uuuuuuugggggghhhh! You're the worst."

Linka chuckles to herself. "I pride myself on being an abysmal human being."

Jordan quickly fixes her posture. "You do that well enough I suppose," she responds. "How's the 'rents? They still together?"

"Wow, cynical," Linka comments.

"Valid question in this day and age," Jordan argues.

"Fair enough," Linka concedes. "Yeah, mom and dad are still together. Man… I really hope I find what they have someday. They're amazing."

"Bluck. Commitment," Jordan wisecracks. She seems to have soured herself with the remark though, and thinks of how to take it back. "Uh… You're right though. They are amazing. I miss them."

Linka sighs. "I missed you," she desperately wants to say. But she won't. She can't.

Instead, she decides it's best to just change the subject. Sort of.

"What about you? What are you studying at the academy?" Linka asks her friend.

"What? Oh. Marketing," Jordan answers, somewhat taken back. "I mean, I'm getting all of my gen. ed. crud out of the way first, but still."

"Right," Linka agrees. Jordan never was one for talking about herself. She should've remembered that. Years away from talking about Ace Savvy, Dairy Land rides, and what kind of Kaiju monsters Ms. Clifford resembled made her prone to learning about everyday adult chatter, something she honestly didn't care for then, but sort of got used to now. It was almost easier to talk to complete strangers than it was good friends on some days.

What was weird was, Jordan was somewhere in the middle now.

Fortuitously, the cute ginger waitress arrives with their food. Awkward conversation would at least have a refresh within short notice.

The blue eyed redhead sets their entrees down on the table. Jordan settled for a nice chicken pot pie that looked like something out of a freezer, and Linka was the weirdo who ordered waffles and sausage links at this hour.

"Yeesh… Some things never change," Jordan teases regarding her choice of meal.

"Heh heh, you know I love waffles," Linka weakly replies.

No, some things never change. But some things do.

For the most part, the rest of their meal is eaten in silence. They make the sporadic comments about how terrible their food is, which, was mostly for fun; but also sort of true. The diner is pretty dreadful too. And the music they play.

It really is a one big blast of nostalgia for Linka. Here she is, sitting with her best friend from elementary school, eating the same foods they loved while making fun of everything and everyone like 2018. Heck, Jordan even still wore bows in her hair.

But it wasn't nostalgia. It was… something new. Something weird. Jordan was the same, but there had to be new things about her. A lifetime worth of conversation could be had over what she had been up to since leaving Royal Woods back then.

Whether or not it would happen though was far from certain. There were no guarantees when it came to Girl Jordan. That was the bitter pill Linka had to swallow the day she learned Jordan would be leaving her.

Even so… She couldn't be mad at her about it anymore. At least, she had to be numb to it. What was the point of being so upset? People came and went. Come and go.

"Linka?" Jordan says, breaking the other girl of her borderline nihilistic thoughts.

"Huh?" she simply rebuts. "Best to keep those ideas to yourself, honey," she tells herself.

"Uhm… I have something to tell you…" Jordan says, a sullen look present in her brown eyes.

Or maybe there was something to these thoughts.

"Uh… what is it?" Linka speaks up, her pulse now catching up with her. What was so important? This wasn't a joke was it? it probably was… But if it wasn't, than what was it? What was worrying Jordan so much?

Was it bad? Was it… good?

…

Finally, Jordan answers.

"I missed you."

…

Linka can only blink. "Uhm, what?"

Jordan rolls her eyes with an almost embarrassed smirk on her face. "Yeah, yeah, I know… Don't ruin it…"

Linka squints her eyes, almost like the words spoken to her were somehow foreign.

For the first time maybe ever, Jordan said something with some humility. Nothing mean about the size of her feet, or the color of her hair… Just, I miss you.

It's weird, but… not entirely unwelcome.

"Well… uhm…"

"I said don't ruin it," Jordan says, playfully punching Linka's hand just a little, really pulling back on it.

Linka rubs the tender spot as she backs her hand away, and chuckles. "Fine… You ruin everything anyway."

Jordan slouches back in her seat, almost like she could curl up in fetal position.

"Ugggh! I left my wallet back at my dorm! I just now realized it!" she groans, but she makes it obvious she's faking with the scheming look in her eyes.

Linka slouches back in her seat now. "Duuuuuuude, seriously?!" she groans, playing along.

"I'm sorry!" Jordan playfully apologizes.

"Well don't apologize to me!" Linka rebuts. "How are we gonna pay for this?!"

Jordan just deviously smiles at her. "We'll do our Hit Me Baby One More Time routine on the manager."

Linka guffaws. "Are you serious?" she says regarding the message being conveyed to her by Jordan's sneaky little smirk.

"I'll pay you back when we get back to the dormitory! I swear on Griseldwin!" Jordan tells her.

"As impressed as I am that you still watch VoM-"

"Really?"

"No. No one cares about your stupid vampires," Linka ribs before getting back on track. "I legitimately don't have any money to pay for this. I have like… six bucks in cash in my purse!"

"Barnacles!" Jordan curses before donning a thoughtful expression, going as far as to rub her chin, alternating hands to really accentuate just how much of a comedian she can be.

"You're such an idiot," Linka finally breaks, actually laughing. Anyone else would just be fooling their self acting this way with her, but Jordan? She just could.

"Maybe we can just explain to them that we don't have the cash to pay for it? I'm sure we'll be able to work something out?" she continues, still being an idiot.

"You do that. I'm just gonna leave," Linka tells her, pretending like she's going to get up and leave the booth, knowing full well she won't.

"That's fine. I'll just keep your jacket. And your purse. And your Bun Bun," Jordan plays along, stubbornly staying put.

"That's cool. I'll just go home and troll your SwiftyPic channels," Linka jokes.

"Tell everyone how much I like vampires," Jordan adds.

"Oh I will."

"Tell them you like that I like vampires."

"I'll tell them you think that I think I like that you like vampires."

"I think it's cool you like that I like that you like what I think is cool," Jordan finishes.

"Wh- What?!" Linka blurts out, failing to contain another laugh.

"Okay, take a chill, B," Jordan insists, pressing her bony finger to the other girls glossy lips to hush her. "Here's what we do. You get up and go to the car first. I'll wait a decent four or five minutes, and when I'm sure no one's paying any mind to us-"

"Jordan," Linka simply says. Which translates to, the joke is getting old.

Jordan rolls her eyes with a cool little grin as she reaches for her own purse to get her wallet.

"You're lucky I'm such a generous and kind soul. Otherwise, I'd make you buy your own dang waffles," Jordan tells her

Linka pretends to petulantly fold her arms and get all huffy puffy. "Hmph. Way to make a girl feel special," she jokes.

Jordan stops. For a moment, she just looks at Linka with this… intentful gaze. It's like she's almost seeing her for the first time. Or she just has something in her teeth…

"How's this? I think you're the prettiest girl I know," she says.

What… the… heck?

Jordan, the Girl Jordan, the most notorious ball buster in the Great Lakes area… just called Linka pretty?

It absolutely stuns Linka. Where are the jokes about her ugly freckles? Or her cracked out tooth? Or- or… anything?!

But Jordan just keeps looking at her with the same gaze. At first, it's pleasant. Almost like, she's genuinely admiring the girl. But the longer Linka doesn't respond, the look becomes… almost sad. Like… like maybe she feels some of those same insecurities that Linka had been feeling all Monday, actually.

She snaps out of her stupor though, and finally says something in return. "Uhm… Thanks, Jordan. You're pretty too."

"What?!" Linka thinks in a panic. "Did you just call her pretty, too? How dumb are you?!"

She feels herself really warming up now, especially when she sees Jordan let out a "Pffffft."

"Oh, I know I'm pretty," she jokingly says. "But you're prettier. I always loved your white hair."

Linka scoffs. "Uh, okay? This is my first time hearing this?!" she asserts. "You always told me how my hair made me look like a grandma or Rose Wilson?!"

Jordan lets out a weak amused huff as she starts nervously rubbing her arm. "Well… I don't know. I thought I'd try being a decent human being for once," she says with a little shrug.

Was that the case? Linka knew that. But, why? Were they really so different now then they were so long ago? Does she ask her questions and get her answers? Or does she step too close to the fire and get burned?

However, much like before when things were getting interesting between the two, Waitress Jane makes her way over all smiles with a bill in hand.

"How did you guys enjoy your food?" she asks. "Those waffles sure looked yummy!"

Ginger sure had a slappable face right now. Linka looks to her, then back to Jordan, who wears a somewhat somber smile, then back to the smiling redheaded waitress.

"They were delicious. Thank you," she says with a bit of glumness to herself.

"Is everything okay, darling?" Jane asks, her smile fading for a frown.

"What? Yeah, everything was fine," she insists.

"Are you sure?" Jordan asks, conveying sincerity as her smile wanes now.

What was happening? One minute, everything felt like cloud nine. She had Jordan back, she was getting a meal from her, and even a free ride back to her dorm. She saved Bun Bun for Blarney's sake!

But then, the minute she tried to pass that untainted threshold… It just changed things.

Linka stops torturing herself long enough to address what's going on, and breaks from Jordan's almost agonizing gaze to acknowledge the hard working waitress.

"Everything is okay," she utters to the woman, but she can't help but fix her eyes back on Jordan.

And Jordan smiles again. What the heck?

"I think we're ready for the check," she says, coolly leaning on the table and resting her face on her hand.

And then, for a little while, she just looks at Linka, and Linka just looks at her.

At first, Linka feels uncomfortable. At any moment, Jordan could break out a good ol' fashioned "Don't' Look At Me," or a hardy laugh followed by, "Just kidding."

But, she doesn't. She just smiles at Linka, and her cheeks even pinken a little as she fixes her posture and snuggles herself in the red Ace Savvy jacket.

The discomfort causes such silence, but… it subsides. It gives way to a new kind of nervousness. One where Linka wants to smile back, but is afraid to.

Even so, without warning, her own nerves do it for her, curving her lips into a warm simper of her own.

And in this moment, the world just sort of stops around them. The last four years seem like mere seconds. They could be all alone in a place without time, for all Linka cares.

But all good things must end. Jane will come back, and Jordan will pay the check, and they'll load themselves up to get out of the tacky diner and out into the rain for the white car that is but a sanctuary. They'll drive away, they'll head home, say their goodbyes, and that will be that. Heck, it could be their last goodbyes for another four years.

It was depressing to think about for Linka Loud, but not so depressing that she would break over it. Really, she just felt lucky to be here in this cramped little booth with her cramped style being this close to cringey ol' Girl Jordan.

Four years was a long time, but again, it didn't matter. What mattered right now was, she felt good being here. She liked having Jordan around.

So, rather than letting everything else wrong with her Monday and the likelihood of her Tuesday, Wednesday, and Fourth of July being just as underwhelming as her trip to the grocery store…

She just smiles at Jordan, looking deep into her warm, almost golden brown eyes.

And while many things had changed, one thing hadn't.

Those eyes.

Heaven's Night is the name of a location in the best game ever. 4 million WLIIA points to whoever knows without Googling it.

Today's subtle song reference, "Thank You" by Dido.

Thanks as always for reading, and please stay tuned for more, true believers.